Sealing means for lifter roof tanks



Dec. 13, 1949 LARSON 2,490,820

SEALING MEANS FOR LIFTER -R1301 TANKS Filed July 11, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ira/e71 07 jwzah ijaraazg Dec. '13, 1949 LARSON 2,490,820

SEALING MEANS FOR LIFTER ROOF TANKS Filed July 11, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z LQQLj I I j," a I ['1' Ir r; 1 1' i I! I E I l a I L I {I i t 9 I Z /J/ l 1 A5 .l fil r; t I T 1} 1 ll r I I /5 /0 I I 30 b I g0 i I I Z9 Z8 I I! I I I 7 fizaemZo Jana/Q I [ardozg Patented Dec. 13, 1949 SEALING MEANS FOR LIFTER ROOF TANKS Donald E. Larson, Eureka, Calif., assignor to Chicago Bridge & Iron Company, a corporation of Illinois Application July 11, 1946, Serial No. 682,872

9 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a lifter roof tank for the storage of gas or mixtures of liquid and gas, and relates particularly to an improved sealing means for such tanks.

In the ordinary construction of lifter roof tanks for the storage of gas or mixtures of liquid and gas, it is common practice to provide a shell with a lifter roof thereover adapted to rise and fall with increasing and decreasing gas pressure within the tank. In order to seal the area betwen the shell and the roof, flexible sealing means is used, such as a fabric impregnated with a flexible impervious solid. Ordinarily synthetic rubber is used for this purpose. This construction puts a great strain on the flexible sealing member, as it must withstand all the pressure of the confined gas within the tank. Various means have been proposed in the past for backing up or reinforcing the flexible sealing member, but these have not all been entirely satisfactory.

The present invention provides a sealing means including a flexible sealing member that is supported by spaced hinged members around the tank extending from the shell to the floating roof. These hinged members are hingedly connected together in pairs with one member of each pair hingedly connected to the roof and the other member hingedly connected to the shell. As the roof rises and falls the members turn around their hinges so as to accommodate themselves to all positions of the roof. The invention broadly comprises spaced pairs of supporting arms with the arms of each pair hingedly attached together at their ends with one arm having its other end attached to the roof and the second arm having its other end attached to the shell, each of said pairs of arms extending inwardly when the roof is in its highest position, and the roof end of the roof arm extending beyond the shell and the hinged connection of the two arms extending beyond the shell when the roof is in its lowest position. There is provided a flexible sealing member extending between the shell and the roof and supported by the supporting arms on the inner sides thereof.

The invention will be described as related to the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings. Of the drawings Fig. 1 is a fragmentary vertical section through the top edge of the lifter roof tank of this invention showing the roof in its lowest position; Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l but with the roof in its highest position; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken along line 33 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a section taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

The lifter roof tank comprises a shell ID, a lifter roof l| thereover, a depending skirt I2 around the edge of the roof and beyond shell l0, spaced brackets l3 at the top of the shell ll] extending inwardly and inclined upwardly, radial support members l4 within the shell and fastened to the ends of the brackets l3 for supporting the roof II when the roof is in its lowest position, and an inverted channel member l5 at the bottom of the roof skirt l2. The spaced brackets |3 support an inclined plate l6 extending inwardly from the shell II]. A flexible sealing member I! of fabric impregnated with a flexible impervious material such as synthetic rubber extends between the channel IE on the roof and the inclined plate It on the shell. The shell end of this flexible member is held by means of a washer bar I8, while the roof end of the flexible member I! is held in sealing relationship against the inner flange of the channel l5.

In order to support the flexible member I! spaced pairs of plates l9 are provided around the tank. These plates are of rectangular shape and have a longitudinal edge of each hingedly attached together, while the other longitudinal edge of one plate is hingedly attached to the roof and the other longitudinal edge of the second plate is hingedly attached to the shell. The hinge constructions are shown in Fig. 4. The outer plate 20 is of greater width than the inner plate 2|. The outer plate 20 is hingedly attached to the inner flange of the channel l5 by means of hinge brackets 22 mounted on the channel with each hinge bracket holding a pin 23 extending into a circular edge 24 on the outer plate 20. The inner plate 2| is hingedly attached to the inclined plate l6 by means of similar hinge brackets 25, pins 26, and circular edge 21. The two plates 2|! and 2| are hinged together by means of a long hinge pin 28, and interfitted circular edge portions 29 and 30.

As can be seen in Figs. 1 and 2, the outer edge of the outer plate 20 of each pair extends beyond the shell l0. Likewise the hinged connection between the two plates of each pair extend beyond the shell when the roof is in its lowest position. When the roof is in its highest position both plates of each pair extend inwardly. The pairs of plates have their hinged sides extending in straight lines and the plates are arranged around the tank like chords on a circle. As the roof rises and falls the hinged plates readily accommodate themselves to all positions of the roof and serve to back up the flexible sealing member I! at all times.

Any of the usual guide and stabilizing means 3 may be provided on the tank, and the usual vents, safety valves, and the like may also be provided.

As the outer ends of the outer plates 20 and the inner ends of the inner plates 2! are hingedly supported on the roof and the shell at only two points for each edge the channel l5 may be of circular shape and the shell plate I6 may be shaped like the frustr'u'm of a cone. It is of course necessary that "the hinge brackets 22 of each outer plate 20 be arranged in a substantially straight line and that the hinge brackets 25 of the inner plates 2| also be arranged in a straight line. It is also necessary that the connected edges of each pair of plates be in a straight line and that all plates be of substantially rectangular shape.

Having described my invention as related to the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, it is my intention that the invention be not limited by any of the details or description unless otherwise specified, but rather be construed withi'nits spirit and scope as set'out in the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. In a lifter roof'tank comprising a shell and a litter roof thereoi 'er with the roof having a depending -skirt, seaim means comprising horizontally spaced pairs of supporting arms with the arms of each p'ai'rjhi'ng'edl'y "attached together at their en ds with one arm having its other end hinge'dly attached to the skirt and the second arm having its other end hingedly attached to the shell, said'pair'sof arms-forming a collapsible V-shaped structure =which opens outwardly when the roof is "in its highest position and the skirt end. or the skirt arm extends beyond the shell and the hinged connection-of the two arms extends beyond the shell when thereof is in its lowest =positi6n and a fleIt-ibl'e sealing member extending between the shell and the roof and supported by said =supportihg arine on the inner sides thereof.

2. The sealing means of cla'i'in 1"Wherein'at last'one of said' arrns is a substantially straight flat late.

'3. The sealing means cream 1 wherein each arm is "a. "Substantially straight fiat plate.

"4. The sealing rriarisbf 'ola i m lwhrein the top of the'tank shelljis provided "with a support 4 highest position and a continuous annular sealing member extending between the shell and the skirt and supported by said pairs of hinged plates on the inner surfaces thereof.

6. The sealing means of claim 5 wherein the top of the tank shell is provided with a support including a surface inclined inwardly and upwardly and the shell edges 'of the plates are hingedly mounted on said surface. 2 7. The sealing means of claim 5 wherein all hinged connections are in straight lines and the pairs of plates are arranged around the tank substantially like chords to a circle.

8. The sealing means of claim 5 wherein all hinged connections are in straight lines, the plates are substantially equal in length, and the pairs of :plates are arranged around the tank subincluding "a surface inclined inwardly and up- --l= wardly and "the shell edges of the plates are hinged-1y mounted on said su'rfa'e.

'5.; In'alift'r roof tankcomprising a shell and a lifter "roof n'ereover with th'e roof having a depending skirt, sealing fr'nans compi'ising spaced pairs of flat substantially rectangular plates around the tank with the plates of each 'pair being hingedly attached together atlongitudinal edges and with 'the'btherlong'itudinal edge of one plate being hinged-1y -attached to the skirt and the other longitudinal edge of the second plate being 'hing'edly attached to the shell, said plates "forming a "collapsible V-shaped structure which "opens 'eutwardly when the roof is in its stantially like equal chords to a circle.

9. 'In a lifter roof tank comprising a shell, a lifter roof thereover, and a depending skirt at the edge of the roof beyond the shell, sealing means comprising a support at the top .of the shell "including a surface inclined inwardly and upwardly, spaced pairs of fiat sub'stantially rectangula'r plates around the-tank withtheplates of each pairbeing hingedly att'ach'e'd together at longitudinal edges and "with the other longitudinal edge of one plate being hingedly 'attached to the skirt and the other Iongitudinal edge of the "second plate being hingedly attached to "the inclined surface, saidlplat'es runnin 'a collapsible V -shaped structure which "opens outw'a'rdiy when the roof isin its highest position and the-hingd connection of each pair of plates'extending beyond the shell with theskirt' plalte leeing parallel to the skirt and "beneath the other plate when the roof is in its lowest position, alnli a flexible sealing memberext'endin'g between the shell and the roof and supported by sa-iel pairs of hingedlpl-a't'es on the inner surface thereof, said roef plates being connected to the skirt aldngstraight lin'es, said shell plates being chrihec'ted th the inclined surface along straight lines and said'hingewcnnections between plates of each pair #being straight lines and the pairs-er plates 'bein'g'arranged around the tank substantially like equal chords of a circle with all said platesbeing "substantially equal in length.

DONALD E. LARSON.

REFERENCES CITED I The r newing references "are or "record in the file or 'thispaltent:

UNITED STATESPA-TENTS Number I h Name Date 2,127,519 J'agschitz A'u 2'3, 193s 2,166g'1 56 Jag'schitz ul 18,1939 2308;479 Young Jan. 12,1943

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date I 572,51 4 Germany -':Mar.'2,1-933 

